Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has urged State Governments to expedite the process of abolition of interview for selection to such posts where it is not required. He was addressing a meeting of Principal Secretaries of General Administration Departments (GAD) from different States and Union Territories here today.

Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had suggested the abolition of interviews during Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort on 15th August 2015 and the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) promptly followed it up by completing the exercise before the year end and ensuring that beginning from 1st January 2016, the practice of conducting interview was discontinued for selection to non-gazetted and junior posts, including C & D Group in the Central Ministries and Departments. However, the provision of skill test was allowed for such posts where a special skill was required, but this skill test was also of qualifying nature.

However, Dr Jitendra Singh regretted that many of the States have yet to make a satisfactory headway in this direction. He said, since today’s meeting was being attended by GAD Secretaries from most of the States ranging from Jammu & Kashmir to Kerala, it is expected that the officers will go back to their respective States with the message to carry forward this initiative in right earnest. Citing the example of States like Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which has made significant progress in abolishing interviews, Dr Jitendra Singh advised the Secretaries of other States also to try to understand and replicate the same in their respective States.

Dr Jitendra Singh also noted that the provision of self-attestation was adopted by certain States very late and exhorted the State Governments to follow the initiative of preparing a Single Page form for different applications which was started by DoPT on the occasion of “Sushasan Diwas” on 25th December 2015. Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to provide work-friendly environment for officers and added that, at the same time, the Centre was also keen that various administrative and governance reforms initiated during the last two years should be seriously carried forward in States and Union Territories because these are in the interest of common man and the poor and, at the same time, aimed at providing level playing field to the youth aspirants across the country.

DoPT Secretary Shri Sanjay Kothari, Additional Secretary Shri T. Jacob, Joint Secretaries of the Department, Principal Secretaries of GAD from different States and Delhi based Resident Commissioners of different States attended the meeting.